Global public funds favour India over China, says OMFIF
80% invest in China due to benchmark index inclusion
Danish pension funds drop Tesla shares as Nordic sympathy strikes spread
Pædagogernes Pension, PensionDanmark divest total €96.3m as trade union solidarity with Swedish Tesla workers takes hold across the region
Fondo Pensione Cometa pushes Microsoft on AI risks at AGM
The pension fund is also in favour of an independent analysis of the reputational and financial risks resulting from Microsoft’s involvement in the military industry
PFA says AI model has led to 70% drop in long-term illness risk
Danish pensions major ‘completely surprised’ by effectiveness of tech-lead preventative intervention
‘Milestone’ as investor-led project delivers first country climate assessments
ASCOR framework assesses countries in 13 topic areas for benefit of sovereign bond investors
Germany’s BVK joins private markets ESG Data Convergence Initiative
The scheme invests €12bn in private equity in North America, Europe and Asia
More than 250 financial institutions slated to launch net zero plans in 2024
GFANZ has around 675 members, via its eight sub-groups, up from 450 two years ago
People moves: IFM Investors bolsters London team
Plus: Aon appoints new partner; Brown Advisory adds trio to advisory board
With €620m losses, Alecta wins race to lead First Republic Bank class action
Amid woes, Swedish occupational pensions giant hails its active role in process to recover lost money
NBIM chose ‘driver’s seat’ for SVB class action, but no bids for other US leads
Norway’s SWF manager spells out its three main reasons for seeking lead plaintiff role in Silicon Valley Bank legal action
UK CDC schemes face challenges with transparency and fairness
PPI warned that maintaining the aim of greater transparency and fairness in the UK will lead to challenges for decumulation CDC.
Praise floods in as Alecta-fired Ledin wins Swedbank Robur job
Swedish asset manager says not put off by previous sacking, lauding Liselott Ledin’s ‘strong expertise’
Swiss asset management market opens following UBS takeover of Credit Suisse
Graubündner Kantonalbank splits institutional business from private banking, hires ex-Credit Suisse head
Institutional investors see geopolitical bad actors as 2024 economic threat
Institutional investors have ‘good reason for concern’ as the geopolitical landscape is looking ‘less stable going into 2024’, says Natixis research
Dutch central bank brings investments in line with Paris Agreement
DNB has been urging pension funds to better account for climate risk in their investment policies for years, and is now putting its money where its mouth is
AP3 links with Kuwait’s Wafra to launch $1bn private equity platform
Swedish national pensions buffer fund says new co-investment collaboration will become ‘agile source of capital’
ISSB chair Emmanuel Faber re-appointed for second term
Early reappointment ’reflects appreciation for ISSB delivering requirements designed to create a truly global baseline of sustainability disclosures’
Net zero asset owners get direction on policy advocacy, transition plans
‘Impossible’ for asset owners to meet net zero goals without an enabling policy environment
Iceland’s Gildi draws ire as pensions lobby works on loan relief for volcano town
Amid direct action from aggrieved Grindavik residents, pensions association explores following example of banking sector’s moratorium on interest and repayments granted to evacuated people
EU migration has positive impact on Swiss first pillar pension system
Positive outlook for the first pillar’s funds AHV, IV and EO stretches over a period up to 2070
Railpen framework to help investors assess their capacity to invest in illiquids
The framework focuses on the illiquidity aspect of private markets, rather than the potential for additional return or diversification
COP28: ‘Proof of concept’ launched for public net zero data portal
Also at COP28 a group focused on aligning global policy with net zero emission goals has been launched
De-risking gains in importance for pension schemes approaching endgame
56% of survey respondents identify de-risking as investment priority
German regulator updates governance requirements for pension plans
Three new circulars concern members of management and supervisory boards
Dutch pension fund PMT sells most fossil fuel holdings
Metals industry scheme remains invested in nine oil and gas companies with ‘sufficiently convincing plans’ for the energy transition, including Shell
NBIM to lead class action for first time, joining AP7 against SVB
AP7 reveals it is also leading class action in US against failed Signature Bank
Church of England Pensions Board outlines strategic plan to reach climate transition goals
CEPB’s climate action plan focuses on key systemic risks like demand for fossil fuels, corporate climate lobbying, climate finance in emerging markets, says Adam Matthews
Thales Pension Scheme secures £2.7bn buy-in with Rothesay
The transaction secures benefits of over 16,000 members – 10,512 pensioners and dependants as well as 5,915 deferred members
German doctors’ scheme spots investment opportunities in energy infrastructure
‘We currently have more investment opportunities than available cash,’ says ÄVWL CEO Christian Mosel
Investor coalition calls for phase out of unequal voting rights
It made recommendations to phase out dual-class structures tailored at different financial market participants
ISSB: Scope 3 emissions emerge as key challenge
ISSB’s Transition Implementation Resource Group will aim to understand what challenges constituents are facing and attempt to avoid diversity in practice
AP7’s coal blacklist grows again, while ban on other stocks expires
Swedish pensions default fund describes blacklisting as engagement tool
German actuaries propose maximum interest rate increase on pension products
The increase, of 1% from 2025 from 0.25% currently, is the fist increase in three decades
Brunel Pension Partnership achieves 75.4% reduction in reserves intensity
The investment pool will work closely with S&P to help with scenario analysis for physical climate risk
Austrian pensions veteran calls on industry to support PensionsEurope
Johannes Ziegelbecker said SFDR, DORA and FIDA were ‘horizontal legislations’
Investors coalition creates platform to strengthen human rights stewardship
Labour Rights Investor Network demand oversight over labour rights by senior management of investee companies
Net zero alignment commitments shoot up for UK pension funds
The percentage of UK pension funds with net zero commitments increased from 57% last May to 68% this year
IPE Conference: Asset managers urged to implement diversity policies
More diversity on decision-making panels leads to better investment decision and even outperformance of peers
Skandia stows $100m in Dutch-backed sustainability blended-finance fund
Swedish pensions firm praises ‘innovative’ structure of SDG Loan Fund for easing flow of institutional money to developing countries
French dashboard to join European pension tracking service
The dashboard in France covers all pillars of the country’s pension system, with 42 pay-as-you go service providers and 100 private pension organisations on board
IPE Conference: Pension fund CIOs keep faith in alternatives
CERN pension fund and Denmark’s Industriens Pension still see opportunities in private assets
People moves: UK’s NEST appoints public and private markets director
Plus: BT Pension Scheme’s Brightwell names head of business development; Nuveen expands global responsible investment strategy and stewardship teams
IPE Conference: ‘Investors need to ensure companies play by the rules set by societies’
Investors should support the minimum tax rate deal struck in 2021, for example, said the founding chair of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund
EBRD starts process to rebuild Ukraine calling on investors
Key priorities for the war-torn country are keeping up economic growth and establishing a defense industry
ATP boasts that its strength allows 3% uprating, but for pensioners only
Manager of Denmark’s statutory scheme admits latest discretionary annual increase is well below the 10% inflation Danes had to cope with in 2022
Level of ‘sustainably’ invested in European assets falls below 40%
‘Greenhushing’ on the rise, according to Global Sustainable Investment Alliance
UK pension funds align impact investing with fiduciary duty
Research from Pensions for Purpose shows impact investing and fiduciary duty are not mutually exclusive
Investment decisions should not be deferred to members, says conference panel
While some savers believe they are ‘competent enough’ to make investment decisions, they still want someone else to take care of their money, says AP7’s Gröttheim
Advice on IORP II revisions won’t help increase cross-border pensions, associations say
EIOPA’s latest report confirms lack of cross-border activity in Europe
IPE Awards: APG wins European Pension Fund of the Year
Else Bos and Richard Gröttheim take this year’s Outstanding Industry Contribution award
